Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Aussiekimchi]

So I teach an adult class for a bit of fun each day.
This week all of my students were asked to watch the Da Vinci Code and we would then have a few class discussions on it. They all watched it at home. I had previously burned the movie on to enough CD's for everyone.
The classes Wednesday and Thursday involved each student putting in their two cents about some of the historical "truths" depicted in the movie.
I simply sat back and corrected grammar and asked open ended questions. I thought it was fantastic. Each and every student, though with limited English skills (advanced class but still....) engaged in the two days of discussion. It at times became heated and some students learned that in debating and discussing, someone, no matter if they are man or woman, younger or older, may have a different opinion than you. For a brief moment, my students forgot they were Korean and debated each other regardless of age and gender. I was mistaken.

Today I got to class finding that 4 students (3 adjumas and 1 older bloke) had left and asked the director for a refund.
Obviously I got the "please explain?"
I won't bring up religion in a discussion class again.
What are some other tabu subjects in Korean discussion classes?

[jacl]

The adult classes are weird that way. Some little thing sets them off and they don't come back.

Probably doens't apply too much here, but I hate the rejection factor involved with private education.

[riley]

Are you sure it's religion? It could be that the adults who quit (sounds like they were older) might have been offended by something like the debating style. They might have felt that you should have made it more formal, more of a lecture style, it might have been that they felt that they didn't get to talk enough. (sometimes that's most frustrating, the person is always quiet, won't talk when given a chance, and then complains that the teacher didn't let them talk) They might not have liked having to watch the movie at home. Basically, who knows? There are many reasons why. I got sick and tired of all of the stupid crap I had to deal with when I taught adults sometimes. (The age issue; "I am oldest, I should talk the most" embarrassment factor, etc.)

[Qinella]

[schwa]

[oldfatfarang]

I once had a businessmen walk out and cancel because we were discussing 'mixed flatting' from a picture in the conversation book. "It's not OUR custom".
Talk about conservative.

[dreaming_saturn]

That's hard. Although I don't teach in Korean adults yet (I'm coming over soon) I appreciate the advice! I've also have students complain a bit when given just free talking (typically older ones) because they don't see the value in it and feel they're not learning anything.

What I've found helps in this situation is clearly stating WHY we're having a a discussion, or playing a board game. One of my old favorites the ask and tell game (a board game with question prompts) becomes a complete grammar review with every tense in English, focusing on the question form.This helps students to accept it.

A final feedback session such writing a few key phrases under ""What this discussion has taught us today" or noting down 5 mistakes and five very good examples of English from the discussion at the end of the class that students need to correct also makes the students see some more value in a debate type lesson, in my experience.

Any more advice about teaching adults would be helpful because I have no idea what to expect

[OiGirl]

[Qinella]

[jacl]

Art, maybe?

[Aussiekimchi]

no I kept it relatively formal. I stressed the rules before the class, one at a time, each student must talk etc etc.
There were no passives in the class...everyone was contributing. I kept feeding the discussions with open ended questions and corrected grammar but I was not leading in the tradtional sense.
I did ask the director why they quit and I got the classic line of "don't worry they are babo" with a giggle...you would never get the truth in this situation.
It could have been a number of things...but I could feel some of the more religous students getting really irritated when their faith was questioned. I did try to steer the discussion away from outright attacks on Christianity but it did get quite heated.
Funny thing was though, this was the first time the whole class was engage as a whole and contributing in English with quick fire responses. It seemed they were even thinking in English.
I am still happy and stand by my lesson. I would do it again, but just not with religion.

[xtchr]

Flatting = living in a flat, i.e a rental house or apartment.
Mixed = with members of the opposite sex

Mixed flatting = (unmarried) males and females (= flatmates) sharing living quarters. i.e separate bedrooms (usually ) but shared living room/kitchen/bathroom etc.

[OiGirl]

Aha. I was suspecting that, but wasn't sure if it might mean mixed-income housing or other such things. Thanks!

[dreaming_saturn]

[igotthisguitar]